What is an Oxymoron? - Examples of Oxymorons - Fun Grammar!

Interestingly, the word "oxymoron" is an oxymoron in itself, "oxy" meaning "sharp" and "moron" meaning "dull." That's a cool fact.

An oxymoron is a combination of two contradictory words. In the sentence, “That young man is awfully nice,” “awfully nice” is the oxymoron. When I was introduced to oxymorons in high school, I fell in love with them. In this article, I’ll list examples of some common oxymorons--humorous and sarcastic ones--as well as my own made-up oxymorons! Have fun with oxymorons. I've said the word several time in this paragraph. I just like saying oxymoron. Oxymoron. Oxymorons. Maybe you can come up with your own.

Instead of a list, how about a little story with the opposites underlined….

Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow, said Romeo to Juliet, in what turned out to be a pretty ugly scene in the tragic comedy I was reading. Same difference, said Juliet, as her demeanor matched that of the living dead. Good grief, she exclaimed, I’m going to try to act naturally. His bittersweet love is old news and is often found missing in him. Since she was awfully nice, she felt that her intentions were often clearly misunderstood.

I wondered if this edition of the play was the original copy. As it was a definite possibility, I was terribly pleased. Tired of reading, I went to my favorite restaurant where a small crowd had gathered. I ordered my favorite entrée of jumbo shrimp and sweet and sour pork. The serving was a little big for me, but I found it to be a guilty pleasure.

Some sarcastic or cynical oxymorons that you may have heard include “military intelligence” and “honest attorney.” These contradictory words form phrases that make a point, as in truths that can’t be. Is there such a thing as intelligence in the military? Is an attorney ever honest? Along these lines, some also believe that “religious tolerance” is an oxymoron, as well as “business ethics.”

I call “Happy Monday” an oxymoron, although my friend, Sunshine, would disagree. Please read this sunny lady’s hub.

“Good morning” is also an oxymoron in my vocabulary. I am not a morning person, and thus mornings are not good in my book. When people say "Good morning" to me, I tell them that I’ll agree with the second part. Yes, it IS morning. I'll give them that. Folks will often hear me say, "Morning." That's it.

What are your favorite oxymorons?